1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a container or vessel for fluids with a vessel space which can be filled with a fluid and which can be emptied by applying pressure to the fluid via an internal gas pressure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Vessels of the type mentioned above for fluids, e.g., lubricants or adhesive components, which can be delivered or dispensed by compressed air and which are constructed as large-volume pressure vessels are known. After filling this vessel with the fluid, a valve is fitted and the vessel, which is not completely filled and in which a residual air volume remains, is put under pressure by air. The pressure and the residual air volume are so dimensioned that the vessel can be completely emptied via a rise tube connected with an outlet valve through the expansion of the enclosed air.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a novel vessel for fluids which is improved over the described known fluid vessels, especially with respect to the effort required for filling.
The vessel, according to the invention, by which this object is met is characterized by a valve arrangement for filling the vessel space with the fluid accompanied by the generation of the internal gas pressure through compression of a gas enclosed in the vessel.
As a result of this inventive solution, the vessel, after being filling, can be completely emptied immediately without additional steps by the internal gas pressure built up in the process of filling the vessel. Separate filling of the vessel with pressure gas is dispensed with.
In an embodiment form of the invention, the gas can be compressed in a pressure chamber which can be blocked off from the vessel space. In this case, the internal gas pressure required for emptying the fluid from the vessel space can advantageously remain limited to the pressure chamber which is substantially smaller compared to the total vessel volume. Accordingly, the stored fluid itself is not under pressure and the vessel does not come under the applicable legal regulations for authorization of transport vessels carrying fluid under pressure. Due to the fact that the pressure can remain limited to the small volume of the pressure vessel with a correspondingly small pressure volume product, the strength standards to be met by the vessel space are not as high as those for the vessels known from the prior art which are completely under pressure. The vessel weight can be advantageously reduced because of these less demanding requirements for strength.
In a preferred embodiment form of the invention, the valve arrangements are formed by a double valve unit which comprises a filling valve and/or outlet valve and which is provided for closing the filling valve and/or outlet valve while blocking off the pressure chamber from the vessel space, wherein the double valve unit preferably has a closing position in which the pressure chamber is already blocked off from the vessel space and the filling valve and/or outlet valve is still open. In a vessel constructed in this manner, pressure relief in the vessel space is advantageously carried out automatically after the blocking off of the pressure chamber before the vessel space is closed also. The desired pressureless state of the vessel space is achieved in an individual actuation process of the double valve unit in which first the pressure chamber and then the vessel space is blocked off.
The double valve unit is preferably to be actuated via a connection piece which can be connected with the filling valve and/or outlet valve, wherein an actuating rod projects into the opening of the filling valve and/or outlet valve for the actuation of the double valve unit, particularly from the connection piece. The sequential closing process mentioned above is effected automatically when the connection piece which is connected, e.g., with a line hose is uncoupled from the filling valve and/or outlet valve.
In a further advantageous construction of the invention, it is provided that the double valve unit comprises a pipe piece which extends through the pressure chamber and communicates at one end in a fluid connection with the vessel space, wherein the filling valve and/or outlet valve is arranged at its other end and its pipe wall has at least one valve opening which opens toward the pressure chamber and which can be blocked off by means of a part which is displaceable in the pipe piece by means of actuation of the filling valve and/or outlet valve. The at least one valve opening preferably opens into a conical annular groove of the pipe piece in which a resilient sealing ring which closes the valve opening relative to the pressure chamber in the manner of a spherical valve is arranged and is expandable by means of an actuation part projecting from the valve opening against the displaceable part and the sealing ring for releasing the valve opening. The displaceable part is preferably constructed as an inner pipe which is coaxial to the pipe piece and which has a pipe portion that can rest against the actuation part for releasing the valve opening and a pipe portion with an outer diameter which is reduced relative to the pipe portion. The actuation part is preferably formed by a pressure ball and a plurality of valve openings receiving pressure balls of this type are provided so as to be distributed about the circumference of the pipe piece, wherein the pressure balls are held in the valve openings between the sealing ring and the inner pipe. In an embodiment form of this kind, the valve openings are released as long as the pipe portion of the inner pipe resting against the actuation part ensures that the sealing ring cannot be pressed into its closed position in the annular groove by the internal pressure of the pressure vessel. When the vessel is closed via the filling valve and/or outlet valve, the inner pipe is displaced, so that the portion of the inner pipe with reduced diameter is located opposite the check valve opening and the actuation part can project into the interior space of the pipe piece while closing the valve openings.
In a preferred embodiment form in which the pressure vessel and the double valve unit are arranged at the upper side of the vessel, a delivery pipe or rise pipe projecting into the vessel space adjoins the inner pipe.
In another embodiment form which is advantageous with respect to manufacture as well as convenience of handling, the vessel space, pressure chamber and double valve unit are arranged coaxial to the longitudinal axis of the vessel.
In another preferred embodiment form of the invention, the vessel space is blocked off relative to the enclosed gas by a dividing wall which is movable for compressing the gas and for applying pressure to the fluid. While an internal pressure which is usable for expelling the fluid from the vessel can also immediately build up over the fluid level and expel the fluid from the vessel via the rise pipe, any contact between the fluid and the gas is advantageously prevented by a dividing wall of this kind, so that the fluid cannot be disadvantageously influenced by the gas. Further, no pressure gas can escape when emptying the vessel.
In a preferred embodiment form of the invention, the dividing wall is formed by a balloon which is expandable for the compression of the gas or for applying pressure to the fluid inside the vessel. The valve arrangement advantageously comprises a filling valve which opens toward the interior of the balloon, wherein the balloon is constructed in particular in such a way that it can be compressed by the internal gas pressure to virtually zero accompanied by reduction of the volume in the interior of the balloon. In this case, especially when the pressure of the enclosed gas in the empty state of the vessel space exceeds the air pressure acting on the vessel, a fluid contained in the balloon is expelled completely from the vessel while preventing residues.
In another advantageous construction of the invention, the filling valve and the balloon are constructed as a constructional assembly which can be mounted on the vessel, wherein the balloon is connected with the filling valve in such a way that it can be introduced into the vessel through a valve opening which is provided at the vessel and which, for example, is provided with a thread, wherein the filling valve provided with an external thread is then screwed into the thread of the opening.
The invention will be explained and described more fully with reference to an embodiment example and the accompanying drawings relating to this embodiment example.